{~~Logan Grey~~}Wow, I was not expecting to get laid into by Avery of all people. It stuck with me even while I was busy at work. The patients were coming in, but my thoughts were out of place. Thankfully, it didn’t interfere with what I was doing. She really didn’t hold back. She mentioned not trusting me not to go back to Ava, because that’s what people do. I hated that part the most. Something about her words cut through me.I hated being categorized into the list of men Ava has manipulated and dumped. You’re not special. Goddess, those words keep coming back with full force. I’ve never been someone whose words could hurt because I’m very self-aware, and I don’t show just anyone the true side of me so not everyone can hurt me. But Avery dug deep. I had asked her to be honest with me, and she didn’t hold back one bit.If Ava came back begging, would I say yes? After all, I’d discovered, was I that pathetic that she thought I would go back to her sister? After her cheating on me, ne
{~~Avery Sterling~~}I was in my room for a while until I felt the urge to eat something. Then I exited the room, i know logan wasn’t around but I was still nervous. I made a chicken sandwich, drank a glass of pink lemonade took my medication, and went back up to my room to sleep. I locked the door, not sure why but my hand moved to do it and I only realized it after I was settled under my covers. Feeling relaxed. I just wanted to sleep. I don’t know how long I was out, but suddenly I woke up to a loud noise.I wasn’t sure what it was but I knew it was crazy loud. I sat up, wanting to call out to Logan but my throat felt dry. I reached for my phone to check the time. One thirty, this is lunch time at the hospital. Surely he didn’t come back home during this time. We have lunch from twelve to two pm. Two hours to make sure if a doctor is busy during twelve, they can check in for lunch by one. But that doesn’t mean we can’t be called out while we eat.But the medic alpha usually stays t
{~~Logan Grey~~}Thank goodness I’d decided to leave the hospital as soon as my gut told me to. She could have passed out on the bench, and that creep might have found her. The thought sent a shiver down my spine, and I tightened my grip on the steering wheel as I drove. After vomiting, I gave her some water to rinse her mouth, and then took her back to the car. She fell asleep almost instantly, exhaustion overtaking her fragile state.I drove her to the lake house I’d bought for Ava and me to use as our honeymoon retreat. It was meant to be a gift, a place for us to start our new life together. But those dreams shattered when she left and cheated on me. Now, the house stood as a symbol of broken promises and lost love. I tried not to think about Ava as I focused on caring for Avery.Once I arrived, I pulled the car into the park and gently carried her into the house, placing her on the couch. She looked so peaceful, despite everything she had been through. I couldn't imagine the terr
{~~Avery Sterling~~}I can't tell you anything that happened the night before. It was as if the world had dissolved into a haze of disjointed memories and fleeting sensations. I remember feeling drowsy, a thick, oppressive fatigue weighing down my eyelids, making every blink a struggle. There was also a pervasive sense of fear, like a cold hand gripping my heart, sending chills down my spine. My thoughts were muddled, tangled in a web of confusion and dread, making it impossible to grasp onto any coherent recollection.The very next morning, though, a new kind of exhaustion had settled into my bones. I was tired of being sick, tired of the relentless cycle of weakness and helplessness. The moment my eyes fluttered open, I knew something had to change. Gathering what little strength I had left, I forced myself out of bed, determined to break free from the suffocating grasp of my illness. My limbs felt like lead, each movement slow and laborious, but I pressed on.As I stood on shaky le
{~~Logan Grey~~}I didn’t want to think about the implications. That Ava was involved in such bad things. I had loved this girl for a significant portion of my life, and I couldn't associate the girl I knew with the woman I was uncovering. I ignored those thoughts for now, focusing on Avery. I was such a moron. I argued with her. I was rude, mean, acting like she was the problem when in reality, Ava was the problem. Fuck, i keep feeling embarrassed when i think of the way i acted."The, um, the officers found a note," I said, looking up at her. She had just finished eating, and I was serving us something sweet to drink. I called off work today. She looked put off, small, and I knew it was the situation."What is in the note?" she asked. I answered by pulling out my phone. I had taken a picture of it when I went back to the house to collect some things. I made sure to take all the right precautions on my way back so no one followed me. I handed the phone to her while I went to take a b
{~~Avery Sterling~~}Logan and I had made a pact, a solemn agreement that we would confront the looming issue tomorrow. We already contacted Ryan telling him we’d be coming to the station tomorrow. Today, we both desperately needed to let our hair down- so to speak, to escape from the suffocating grip of bad news that seemed to shadow our lives perpetually. You know, me finding out that Rex is after me, that he’s responsible for the horrid murders. And logan I think his heart is breaking worse than when he opened his eyes to realize Ava has been cheating on him for a while.I curled up on the couch, pulling my legs up close to my chest, seeking some semblance of comfort in the familiar, cozy corner. Logan suggested we watch a movie after breakfast, a simple enough idea that I agreed to without much thought.What I didn’t expect was for him to sit right next to me, let alone drape a blanket over us. The gesture startled me, a jolt to my expectations. I had anticipated he would give me
{~~Logan Grey~~}A good distraction works wonders. After being so determined, she fell asleep right after the kiss. Her medication must have kicked in.I knew she wanted an answer, but the truth was, I didn't have one yet. As I lay there next to her, watching her fall asleep, I felt a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Her breathing became soft and even, a stark contrast to the chaotic thoughts swirling in my mind. I took that time to think, to unravel the tangled mess of my feelings.Avery. The mask Ava built was Avery, but with a little more confidence. How had I been so blind? There was no logical reason for me to be so enamored with a woman that I just gave up my ability to think rationally. Yet there I was, caught in a web of attraction and confusion, unable to disentangle myself from the emotions that she stirred within me. Ava has been everything i dreamt of as a teenager. I have many regrets now.I wasn’t sure how to move past this. I kissed Avery to distract her, but for once,
{~~Logan Grey~~}I finally moved from where I was watching her to the couch so I could sit down on the blanket but before I could settle in my phone buzzed to life. I got back to my feet and went upstairs so I wouldn’t wake Avery up. I’m not ready to face her hopeful gaze. I have so much to ask her though.Her words from the hospital are finally settling in.She dated you to punish me.What did she mean by that? Not the point. I answered the call once I was out of earshot.“Hello? Doctor Grey speaking. May I know who this is?”There was still silence on the other side for a good four minutes until I finally heard a voice I hadn’t heard in a good what? Eight, maybe nine months?“Hi. Logan. It’s been a while.”That voice. That voice used to be the best thing I’ve ever heard. Why is she calling me? Shouldn’t she be with that criminal?I shut my eyes, every positive image I had of Ava was slowly vanishing. “I’m sorry, who is this?”There was a soft gasp from her side. “It’s.... don’t you
{~~Avery Sterling~~}The waterfall is majestic and stunning. Logan suggested we go in naked since we’re the only ones here. I’ll admit, trusting a radically vegan hippie to plan my honeymoon was a bold and disturbing choice. Third year in college she lugged me off to the rain forest where we camped for six weeks so we could connect with the gods who brought us here.It was my worst summer vacation. Six long weeks. But I got so much work done that I felt like I came back even smarter. I love Agatha, but my goodness, her ideas of fun are always nature-like. The lack of wifi is going to kill me, but thank god I got another honeymoon present from Logan’s parents as an apology for the way they acted at the start of my marriage to their son.And that one is for two months on a cruise. We’ll be leaving for that after a week of getting eaten alive by mosquitoes.The water is cold, and the view is even better. I talk alot of crap about Agatha but the woman is far more connected to this world t
{~~Logan Grey~~}My honeymoon is not at all what I expected. It’s one of those situations where you step back and think, How did I not see this coming? But I guess that’s what happens when you go with the flow and don’t plan out every last detail, just trusting that things will fall into place. We decided not to bring Hope with us, even though part of me wanted her to be here. She’s spending the week with my parents—her grandparents—which feels like a huge milestone, not just for her, but for me too. Avery and I wanted this time to ourselves, to really celebrate our marriage without any distractions, to focus on us for a change.We’re an odd pair to most people, and I know some didn’t expect us to last, but we’ve made it work in ways that surprise even me sometimes. Over the last year, we’ve settled into this rhythm that’s become second nature. It’s a good rhythm, one that’s brought us closer, and made us stronger. It’s funny—when you think about it, but it feels like so much longer.
\One Year Later/{~~Avery Sterling~~}So, you know how little girls always dream about their wedding day? It’s supposed to be this big, magical event, where everything falls perfectly into place, and for some, it’s the pinnacle of their dreams, right? But not me. I never had those kinds of dreams. You know how my life was, how crappy my sister and parents treated me. There was never much room in my head for fantasies like that. Growing up, I couldn’t even imagine what marriage would feel like because I was too busy surviving and getting through the mess of my family. But, okay, maybe deep down, I had some dreams. Everyone does, right? I just never thought they’d come true.And marrying Logan Grey—that’s a whole different thing altogether. I mean, when we started planning the wedding, I was so overwhelmed. There were just so many details, and so many decisions, and with everything I’ve been through, I just didn’t have the energy to care about floral arrangements or seating charts. So, I
{~~Avery Sterling~~}The almost-car accident shakes me up more than I expected, but Logan is fine, and I’m fine. It all happened so fast, and yet I can still feel the pulse of my heartbeat in my throat when I think about it. That truck had come out of nowhere. The driver didn’t even slow down. Had I not tripped over that stone while I was looking for a signal on my phone and he’d come to check on me... logan would have died a painful death before my eyes.So of course I was a fucking mess. That driver is crazy. Did he not see the car? Why did the car even stop? What was wrong with the engine? I have like six million questions!He called Ryan to come get us. I was in his arms on the side of the road, watching as other cars drove around the wreckage. They don’t stop but look on surprised at the mess. Whoever that driver was I hope to god his truck breaks down and he’s fired. Because what the hell?He should have at least stopped. Panic fills me but so does anger. The panic wins though.
{~~Avery Sterling~~}Logan and I had left Hope in the hospital. The tiny bundle of life—so fragile, yet resilient—was resting safely in the nursery, surrounded by the quiet hum of machines and the gentle presence of nurses. We’d return tomorrow, once we were sure they’d had time to scan her brain and ensure she was truly safe for release. My heart ached to leave her, but it was necessary. Thank goodness she was a baby, still too young to understand fear in the way that we did. She wouldn’t know the anxiety, the sleepless nights, the never-ending worry. All she knew was warmth and the safety of sleep, cocooned in blankets too big for her tiny form.The snow had started falling again, soft and silent, covering the world in a layer of purity that felt both soothing and unsettling. Logan drove carefully through the winding streets, the heater on low, warming our chilled fingers. We didn’t speak much, but the silence wasn’t uncomfortable. It was the kind of silence that sat between two peo
{~~Avery Sterling~~}I’m back in this beautiful pack, surrounded by familiar faces, and yet it feels so foreign after everything we’ve been through. the rain stopped while I was away and now we have a new season. The landscape is stunning, especially now, with the first snowfall of the season transforming the dense forest and the lake into a quiet, white wonderland. The snow blankets the ground in thick, untouched layers, making the whole world seem calm and serene, but cold—bitingly cold. It's as if the snow carries the weight of my worries. The weather has shifted dramatically over the past few days, moving from endless, gloomy rain to this sudden onset of winter. So, congratulations on freezing my butt off, even with all the layers I'm bundled in.Logan and I had spent last night at the lake house, a place of solace for us, trying to reconnect after everything that’s been thrown at us. It was bittersweet, those quiet moments by the fire, the crackling logs filling the air with warm
{~~Logan Grey~~}Avery is coming home today. Avery is coming home today. I’ve been repeating that sentence in my head for the past 48 hours, counting down the seconds like a kid waiting for Christmas morning. The excitement, the anticipation—it’s all bubbling up inside me, and I can barely sit still. I glance at the clock on my phone for what feels like the hundredth time, knowing it hasn't moved much since the last time I looked but somehow hoping the hands of time have sped up. It's been far too long since I’ve seen her.The air in the terminal is thick with the usual airport chaos—people rushing by, announcements echoing through the speakers, kids whining in the background—but it all fades into the background noise. I’m laser-focused, my heart pounding in sync with the roaring engines of planes outside. She’s been gone for weeks, and though it wasn’t that long, it feels like an eternity. We’ve been working tirelessly on the cure—sleepless nights, constant research, trial and error.
{~~Avery Sterling~~}Agatha and I had been at it for hours, possibly days, though the passage of time had become something of a blur in the dim, candlelit room. The air was thick with the scent of dried herbs and burning incense, their heady aromas mixing in a way that both calmed and invigorated me. I had never spent so much time in the presence of a witch doctor before—not like this, not in such an intimate setting where every movement, every word, every breath was part of a delicate and complex dance of life and death.I’d seen witchcraft before. In university, we had a professor who dabbled in the ancient arts, using it to enhance her knowledge of medicinal plants and natural remedies. It’s why i wished I’d been chosen to be a doctor, it would be so nice to be able to do so much than what a nurse can. But even she had never worked with the sheer precision and raw power that Agatha wielded. It was... mesmerizing. I couldn’t help but be drawn in, watching her every move, the way her
{~~Logan Grey~~}Two days without Avery isn't an eternity, but it sure feels like a long time. I’m surviving, or at least I think I am. Tonight, I’m having dinner at my parents' place, and the whole family is here to celebrate the newborns. Felix’s child, Marley, and my daughter, Hope. It feels good to be around everyone, even if my mind keeps drifting to Avery. The house is buzzing with laughter and chatter. The babies are in their playpen, tapping at toys, oblivious to the joyful chaos around them. My parents are practically glowing as they fawn over their grandkids, doting on every little coo and babbling like they’re treasures.I sit back in a rocking chair, watching the scene play out before me. My brothers are in the kitchen, joking around while they cook, and their wives are on the couch, chatting and laughing. And Ronan’s children are lying on the floor coloring something. It’s one of those moments that feels picture-perfect, like a scene out of some old family movie. Even Rya